High Value Manufacturing For The Mega-Shell Large Scale Ceramic Shell Investment Casting Facility At The Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre

MEGAshell是一种用于大型精密铸件的陶瓷型壳成型和铸造工艺。通过投资这一能力，AMRC Castings现在将能够在直径达2米、长2.5米、重量超过2.5吨的模具中生产零件。该设施的规模将足以制造模具，以生产最大型号的航空发动机中间壳体（重达500公斤）和航空航天结构部件，其尺寸精度和表面光洁度可与熔模铸造相媲美。AMRC铸造是英国唯一能够生产这种尺寸的陶瓷外壳的公司。这表明英国已经进入了一个受到严格控制的市场，并提供了在全球舞台上竞争的机会。除了航空航天业的利益外，对其他行业也有重大价值。这一点已经在核部门得到证明，大大降低了成本。通过使用其Replicast®和MEGAshell®技术，AMRC Castings已经能够创建一个单一的陶瓷模具，以铸造高度尺寸精确的一体式不锈钢框架，具有上级表面光洁度，以安装在核废料储存容器的顶部。目前，框架由30块独立的不锈钢制成-这是一个昂贵而复杂的过程，涉及焊接和对每个接头的详细检查。塞拉菲尔德的项目旨在发展英国的民用核制造供应链，并帮助英国公司在国内外赢得该行业的工作：“我们相信我们可以将盒子的成本降低六分之一，考虑到盒子的数量，这可能总计高达1.5亿英镑，”AMRC铸件公司的商业经理理查德古尔德说。

MEGAshell is a ceramic shell moulding and casting process for very large precision castings. By investing in this capability, AMRC Castings will now be able to produce parts in moulds of up to two metres in diameter and 2.5 metres long, which could weigh more than 2.5 tonnes.The facility will be large enough to make moulds to produce the largest variants of aero engine intercases, up to 500kg, and structural aerospace components, with dimensional accuracy and surface finish comparable to investment casting. AMRC Castings is the only UK operation able to produce a ceramic shell of this size. It demonstrates the UK’s emergence into what has been a tightly controlled market and provides the opportunity to be competitive on a global stage.In addition to the benefit for the aerospace industry, there is also significant value for other industries. This has already been demonstrated in the nuclear sector, delivering significant cost reductions. By using its Replicast® and MEGAshell® technologies, AMRC Castings has been able to create a single ceramic mould to cast a highly dimensionally accurate, one piece stainless steel frame, with a superior surface finish, to fit on top of nuclear waste storage vessels. Currently, the frames are fabricated from 30 separate pieces of stainless steel – a costly and complex process, involving welding and detailed inspection of each joint. The project for Sellafield, aims to develop the UK’s civil nuclear manufacturing supply chain, and help UK companies win work in the industry at home and abroad:“We believe we can reduce the cost of the box by a sixth and, given the number of boxes, this could total up to £150m”, says Richard Gould, AMRC Castings’ Commercial Manager.